Refrigerating system



Dec. 28, 1937. `.1. KIRGAN REFRIGERATING SY{STEM Filed July 26, 1954 mmf MyW

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Patented Dec. 28, 1937 REFRIGERATING 'SYSTEM John Kirgan, Easton, Pa., assignor'to Ingersoll- Rand Company, Jersey City, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey lApplicmnm July 26,1934, serial No. 736,994

(ci. ca -,152

12 Claims. My invention relates to refrigerating' systems in which a liquid refrigerant, such as water, Iis

vaporized in part to give a cooling eifect, and particularly to the regulation of systems of this v kind. l

An object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus by which such a refrigerating system can be properly controlled so that it can be operatedvefciently at less than full load.

In its preferred form the invention comprises an evaporator having'multiple chambers in each of which the refrigerant is chilled by converting a portion thereof into vapor. The vapor is removed by suitable evacuator members such as steam jet boosters, and when it is necessary to sprays. Within the chambers the pressure is re-A duced to such a point that some of the' spray water is vaporized, extracting heat from the main reduce the refrigerating effect or'output, one or y more lof the chambers in the evaporator are rendered inactive. For this purpose the admission of Water to the chamber 'or chambers that are to be cut out and the supply of steamto the evacuators therefor are cut off. The invention lcomprises suitable means which is automatically actuated by the temperature of the cooled refrig erant for achieving this result.

The nature, objects andadvantages of the invention are fully set forth in the ensuing description, and the novell features thereof are pointed out in the appended claims. But the disclosure is illustrative only and I may make changes which do not depart from the principleof the in- `vention, or exceed the scope and spirit thereof.

On the drawing,vFigurel 1 is. a View partly in .Y section showing an loutlinepf a portion of a refn'gerating system according to my invention,

and

-Figure 2 is a cross section thereof illustrating the controlling connections for "the-evaporator and the'connection of one of the evacuators to a 40 condenser.

. 4The same numerals'identify the same parts In practice I employ vessel I, which is called an `evaporatonto which a liquid refrigerant, such as water, is supplied v`by means of a conduit 2.

After being chilled therein the water is discharged from the evaporator through a conduit 3 which conveys it tothe place where the refrigerating effect is to be produced. When the I water is again warmedvit is returned through the pipe 2 to the evaporator to be chilled and used again. The evaporator has partitions 4 which" divide the interior into several chambers and the pipe 2 -is provided with branches 5 for each chamber.` .The'se'pipes terminate inside the body of the water and thus lowering its temperature to the required extent. Each of the chambers is connected to the discharge conduit 3 by a branch pipe l, and has an outlet 4leading to these branch pipes. The water vapor is removed from each chamber by means of steam jets 9, and the water which is converted into vaporis made up by replenishing the Water in the system in any suitable way so v as to maintain avfull supply coming back through the conduit 2.

The evacuators for removing the vapor have the form of steam let boosters or thermo-compressors. They include the nozzles 9 connected to a common steam supply pipe4 i!! by branches' i i. These nozzles discharge into conduits I2 which are connected to a condenser I3., Each of the thermo-compressors has a lateral projection It secured to the' outside of the evaporator and communicating through an opening I5 with-onel y y of the chambers therein. When the steam supall chambers are, of course. used, but when the valve is normally open, but

outputis lessened one or more of the'chambers 'is put out of action. The chamber at the extreme left in Figure l is illustrated as having a valve 'i6 in the line' of the branch pipe 5. This adapted to be closed `tocut oif` the water for sai chamber from the pipe 2. In the branch pipe II supplying steam lto the evacuator for the same chamber is a similar valve il. These valves are actuated by a fluid medium supplied by way of\a pipe I8 having `branches I9 to enable the uid medium to actuate the valves IG and I1. The operation of the valves I6 and I'I is accomplished by means ,of

: housings 20 and pressure diaphragms 2l thereeesV in: The valves I6 and I1 have arms 22 connected to rods 2.3 .which enter these housings 20 and have heads 24 which engage the diaphragms 2 I. These rods are surrounded in the housings 20 by springs 25 engaging the heads l24 at one' end and the inside of the housings at the other. Hence,

'the vrluidin the conduit I8 acting upon the diaphragms \is opposed by these springs25. The medium in the conduit I8 is necessarily under pressure, and may come from any convenient source.

In the line of the conduit I8 is a valve 26 through which fluid must pass to the valves I6 and I1. 'I'hecasing of the valve '26 has a drain pipe 21. This valve also has an arm 22 connected by a. rod 28 to an expansible casing 29. The end of this casing to which the rod 28 is attached is lmovable, the other end of this casing being -held stationary. This casing is connected by a tube 30 to a bulb 3l in the delivery conduit 3, and the casing, the tube and bulb are filled with an expansible liquid. Therefore, when the temperature of the chilled water drops to a certain point, the shrinkage of the liquid causes this casing to open the valve 26 and permit the fluid inI the conduit I8 to actuate the diaphragm-1s 2| and turn the valves I6 and I1 to closed position.

valve having an outside arm 22, and the arms 22 and 35 being coupled by a link 31. By means of this oat the ow of water through the pipe.

2 into the chambersV of the evaporator. I can be so regulated that the level of the chilled water in the active evaporator chambers is maintained I,substantially constant.

ITo get this result, the pressure in the float chamber 32 is maintained the same as the pressure in the evaporatorfand the float container therefor'is connected by way of the pipe' 38 and branches 39 to the inside of the chambers of the evaporator. One of the pipes 39 contains a valve II similar to the valves I6 and I1, and

connectedto a similar diaphragm housingv 28/ and which is likewise provided with a connection I9 to the pipe 48. Hencerwhenever one of the .evaporator chambers is put 'out of action, the valve 4I of that chamber cuts oif communication between ysaid chamber and the pipe 38. Otherwise the pressure in the condenser, -when the steam is cut olf at the evacuator, would take eect in the said chamber, and, since the condenser pressure is greater than normal evaporator pressure, the level of the water in the container 32 would be forced down and the function of the float 34 would be deranged. The dischargeconduit `3 may have a pump 42 ,in the line thereof to facilitate delivery ofthe chilled water to the place of use.

In action when the system' is working at full load the valve 26 is in such position that the pipe I8 beyond it is connected to the drain pipe 21, and the pressure medium in pipe I8 is cut oif fromthe valves I6 and I1 and 4I. When the load drops, however, and the returning water is cooler, the chilled water will likewise be cooler` so that the casing 29 contracts to open the valve 26. Pressure uid in the pipe I8 therefore actuates all of the diaphragmsto close the valves I6,

I1 and Il. 'I'hese valves may close all at once or their springs may be so selected that they will close one after the other in any order required.

Then the supply of steam and water to one chamber.is cut off and sois communication of the chamber with the float container 32. The condenser pressure then forces down the level of' the water at the bottom of that chamber in the evaporator to apoint in the connection 1 above the conduit 3. The evaporator chamber cut out thus remains sealed by the water in the pipe 1 and the operation continues in the .other chambers.

Of 'course, another pipe or conduit I8 and a second casing like the casing 29 and similar valves could be employed to cut out of action another one of the evaporator chambers as` the load drops still further; or one casing 29 might be used and the valve 2'6 might be so constructed that it would actuate the valves for one lof the evaporator chambers to cut out this chamber and another chamber later in case the load drops still further. When `the load becomes full again the casing 29 expands and opens the valve 26 connected to the pipe I8 to the drain 21. Then the controlling means I6 and I1 and 4I are reopened and the evaporator chamber whichA was not operating is again put into service. The pipes 38 communicate with the chambers of the evaporator through ports 40.

The chambers of the evaporator may also be provided with valves or controlling means 43 `in the inlet members 5, and similar means 44 in the pipes II wherever needed, sovthat the incoming steam and Water for anyone or all they chambers may be shut off by hand. With these Valves, when the chamber equipped with the automatic valves is put out of use, another chamber can be cut out to operate at still lighter load if desired, or all the chambers may be put out of service to stop the system.

Another purpose 'served by this'v invention is to prevent flooding of the evaporator in case the water` returns from a higher level through the pipe or inlet member 2. In such a case, whenever the system is shut down .or if the pump should fail, the pressure in the evaporator chambers and the container 32 would still be equal, and when the level of the liquid in the evaporator rises high enough the valve or controlling means 36 will be closed entirely. Henceno more water could ilow into the evaporator.

I claim: i Y

1. In a refrigerating system an evaporator havingl a chamber to which a liquid refrigerant is supplied to be cooled, means for regulating the refrigerant supplied comprising afloat container having connection with said chamber, an evacuator for said chamber to remove vapor of the refrigerant therefrom, andameans for interrupting communication between said container vand said supplied to be cooled,v a iioat container connected to said chamber, to control the admission of refrigerant thereto, and means acting responsively to the temperature of the chilled refrigerant for automatically interrupting the admission of said refrigerant to said chamber andcutting off communication between said container and said chamber under predetermined working conditions.

3; In a refrigerating systemv comprising an evaporator having a chamber in which a refrigerant is chilled, a float container connected to.

said chamber vto control refrigerant entering the latter, and means acting responsively to the temperature of the chilled refrigerant `for cutting oil.'

lcommunication between said container and said y, chamber under predetermined working conditions.

iL-iA amarres l 'said container being connected to the discharge pipe. a controlling 4. In ai refrigeratingsystem comprising` an evaporator having separate chambers. a container having a float therein and -beingconnected to the evaporator, an evacuator for each chamber, and automatic means for rendering the evac uator 'of one chamber inoperative andl interrupting communication between saidchamber and.v said container when the load drops.

5. In a refrigerating system comprising` anx evaporator having several chambers, means for admitting a liquid refrigerant to said chambers,

a container having a float therein to control. the

4 admission of refrigerant to saidchambers, and

automatic means for stopping the admission of refrigerant to one of said chambers and cutting off the container from said chamber when the load'drops. l y

6. In a refrigerating system comprising an evaporator having several chambers to receive a liquid refrigerant, a container having a float s therein and being connected to each of said chambers, and automatic means for cutting oif' communication between'the float container and one of said chambers when thejloaddecreases.

7. In a refrigerating system comprising an evaporator having a chamber, means for admit.

ting a liquid refrigerant to said chamber, a container having a float therein to control the level of the liquid in the chamber, said container be#- ing connected to said chamber. means for evacu` ating said chamber, and automatic means to interrupt communication of the oat container with said chamber, to cut of! the supply of refrlgf l erant thereto and to render the evacuating means inoperative when the load decreases.

8. A refrigerating system comprising anevap- 'orator having a plurality of chambers, means for admitting a liquid refrigerant to each of said chambers, a container having a float therein.toV

control the level of the liquid in said chambers, said container-being connected to each of said chambers, means forevacuating said chambers,

and automatic means to'interrupt the communication of theiloat container with one of .said

chambers, lto cut off the supply of refrigerant to said chamber and to render inoperative the evacuating means thereforwhen the loa'd drops.

9. In a refrigerating system the combination of an evaporator having achamber, a pipe to supply liquid 4refrigerant to said chamber, a discharge pipe for said chamber, a container having a float.

member in the supply pipe connected to the oat, a pipe'connecting the coritainer to the evaporator, a valve in said pipe, a l

housing. a diaphragm in the housing arranged to 'actuate said valve, and means controlled by the temperature of the refrigerant to cause the diaphragmto close the valve and interrupt communication of the container with said chamber when the load drops.'

10. A refrigeratingsystem comprising an evapfor said evacuator, a valve to control the connection of said container to said chamber, housthe housings arranged to operate. said valves, and means controlled by the temperature of the refrigerantfor enabling thejdiaphragms to be operated to close'said valves. v

11. Themetliod of producingand controlling refrigeration which consists in cooling a refrigerant in a plurality of separate and equal masses,

joining-.theA 'cooled masses, automatically eliminating one or` more of said'masses in response to a drop in the temperature of the. cooled refrigerant, continuing the cooling of the refrigerant in the remaining masses and maintaining an equal-r ity between such remaining masses.

. ings associated with said valves,I diaphragms in 12. The method'of producing and controlling refrigeration which consists in cooling arefrlgerant in a plurality -of separate and equal masses,

Joining die cooledmasses, maintaining the amount of refrigerant undergoing cooling in each.

of said masses substantially constant, automati cally eliminating 4ene or more of said masses in response to a dr'o'p' in the temperature of thev cooled refrigerant continuing the cooling -of the refrigerant in the remaining masses and-maintaining ;a'n equality `between such remaining -Jomr 

